William h



(No Model.)

W. H. WETMORE.

DESK.V

No. 317,253. Patented May 5, 188,5.

NA PETERsy mm-Lnhugnplwr. washington, D. CA

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. VETMOBE, OF RALEIGH, N. C., ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO THOMAS A. JONES AND AUGUSTUS W. KNOX, OF SAME PLACE.

DESK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 317,253, dated'May 5, 1885.

Application tiled Augu'st 25, 1884. (No model To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. WET- MORE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Raleigh, in the county of Wake and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Desks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention has reference to oflice and similar desks for use of professional and business men and others; and its object is to et'- fect the convenient arrangement within small space of a large number of compartments or pigeon-holes for the reception ot' papers, let ters, and other articles, to be readily accessible when required for reference.

To this end I provide a desk, which may be otherwise of ordinary or suitable construction, with a rotary cylinder journaled in bearings in the frame of the desk, so as to turn on a horizontal axis. This cylinder is placed, preferably, at the rear of the desk just behind the writing table, and is divided into a number of compartments or pigeon-holes,in which letters and papers may be distributed. By

rotating the cylinder any desired compartment may be brought within reach.

It is to be observed that the i cylinder is itself divided into compartments, and not a series of trays pivoted to the heads of the cylinder. This latter construction has been adopted heretofore, the object of using pivoted trays being to allow them to swing as the cylinder revolves, and thus maintain the horizontal position of the shelves or compartments; but it is objectionable for many reasons, among which may be mentioned increased cost, diminished compactness and strength, liability to get out of order, and the like.

In my improved desk the compartments in the cylinder are, it is true, turned over at each revolution of the cylinder; but by providing su itables means for preventing the papers and other articles from falling out or becoming disarranged otherwise when the cylinder is turned any practical difficulty' on this account is obviated.

Upright in contradistinction to horizontal compartment-cylinders have heretofore been combined with desks; but it is impossible to arrange such cylinders so as to give the same convenient access to the saine number of pigeon-holes or compartments as I give to my horizontal cylinder. l

In carrying out the invention the cylinder is or may be divided into four equal sections by two partitions of wood or other material extending across the same at right angles to each other. Each section carries a group of pigeonholes formed, say, by shelves of wood one above the other at a suitable distance apart, the side walls of the pigeon-holes being slides of sheet metal or other material fittingV removably in grooves sawed in the wooden shelves. Each of the four groups of pigeonholes is closed by a door hinged,preferably,to the top shelf and secured when closed by a spring-latch. A lightleaf-spring may be em-` ployed in each pigeon-hole to bear downward upon the pile of papers therein and prevent scattering when the cylinder is revolved.

To prevent rotation of the cylinder in case one side should be more heavily loaded than the other, a catch is provided which auto` matically engages the cylinder when one or the other group of pigeon-holes is broughtv into reach, and holds it in that position until.

released by hand.

The accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, illustrate the best mode contemplated of carrying the invention into effect.

Figure 1 is a front view of a desk provided with the improvement; Fig. 2, a vertical crosssection of the cylinder. Fig. 3 is a partial view in horizontal section, showing the spring-A bolt; and Fig. 4, a detail view on an enlargedscale, showing construction of the shelves.

The invention is shown applied to a desk,

A, which is or may be of any ordinary. or'

suitable construction, having the usual writ-r ing-table, and provided with drawers, 8vo. At

the back of the writing-table is a cylinder, B, of wood, journaled by means of short studs b in the frame of the desk, so as to turn easily on a horizontal axis. Partitions B divide the cylinder into a number of sections. As shown, there are two partitions, B, occupying planes at right angles to each other and making four sections. The number of sections may be greater or less, as desired. In each section is IOO a group of pigeon-holes formed by shelves C and cross-pieces D. The shelves extend lengthwise of the cylinder,.and are supported by the end walls thereof. These shelves are parallel with one partit-ion, BQ which forms the bottom of the group of compartments, and

-rearwardly extend to the other partition,which pigeon-holes or compartments is shut in by a door, E. The door is hinged, as shown, to the top shelf of the group, and fastened when shut by a spring-latch, F, whereby opening of the door, and consequential spilling of the papers during` the rotation of the cylinder, is prevented.

, It is found in use that the rotation of the cylinder will not ordinarily cause any disarrangement of the papers in the various pigcon-holes; but as a greater precaution against such occurrence a light leaf-spring, d, is or may be screwed or otherwise secured to the top or to the bottoni of each compartment, its free end being arranged to bear against the papers therein. It will be seen that as the cylinder is rotated each group of compartments comes in succession within the reach of the user seated at the front of the desk, and that by this device a great number of papers may be stored away and yet be readily accessible.

To prevent the cylinder turning of itself, as it might do if its load were unevenly distributed, a spring-bolt, G, is employed. It may conveniently be placed, as shown, in the frame of the desk near the front, and arranged to engage with suitable sockets in the end wall of the cylinder. rlhere should be one socket for each group of pigeon-holes, so that the cylinder may be held stationary with any desired compartment in an accessible position.

The proportions of the cylinder and size of compartments may vary within wide limits. Supposing the cylinder to be twenty-eight inches long (interior measurement) and-thirty inches in diameter, each of the four sections could conveniently be divided into three tiers of compartments, seven in each row, the compartments being each four inches high, four inches wide, and nine inches deep. Of course part of the holding capacity of the cylinder could be utilized for holding other articles besides papers-books, for example-and could be divided into compartments of any desired size and shape.

The subdivision of the cylinder could be accomplished in other ways than that shown and described herein.

Other modilications in details of construction, which are given by way of example only, may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, andrsome of the improvements could be used without others.

I claim the neur improvements herein described, all and several, to wit:

l. A desk or similar article of furniture provided with a revolving cylindrical portion mounted on a horizontal axis, and subdivided into pigeon-holes or compartments for the re- .ception of papers and other articles, substantially as described.

2. A desk having a cylinder divided into pigeon-holes or compartments for reception of papers, Src. journaled in bearings in the frame thereof, with its axis of rotation horizontal, and arranged at the back of the desk partly above and partly below the Writing-table, substantially as described.

3. The combination, With the desk, of the horizontal revolving cylinder divided intosections by diametrical partitions,'each section being subdivided into anumber of compartments or pigeon-holes, substantially as described.

4. In a desk, and in combination with the desk-frame, a cylinder turning on a horizontal axis, and having its interior divided into groups of compartments adapted to be successively brought into reach by rotation of the cylinder, each group being provided with a door, substantially as described.

5. In a desk, the combination, with the cylinder divided into pigeon-holes or compartments and arranged to revolve on a horizontal axis, of the springs in the pigeon-holes or compartments for clamping the papers therein, substantially as described.

6. rlhe desk provided with a horizontal cylinder divided into pigeon-holes or compartments, and also provided with means, such as described, for preventing the papers in said pigeon-holes or compartments being disarranged by the rotation of the cylinder, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with the desk-frame, of the cylinder divided into pigeon-holes or compartments, and provided with latched doors for closing the ends of said pigeon-holes or compartments, and also with springs within the same, and acatch or bolt for preventing rotation of the cylinder except when desired, substantially as described. v

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VILLIAM H. VETMORE.

Witnesses:

E. R. STAMP, J. V. PULLEN.

IIO 

